Donations arrive at Kelowna BC SPCA for seized dogs

The kind ladies of McLeese Lake were greeted by a warm, tearful welcome in the parking lot of the Kelowna BC SPCA.

After driving more than five hours to the Okanagan to make a special delivery, Gale Lamothe arrived with many donations for the shelter in tow.

“We have 50 dog beds that we handmade in McLeese Lake,” Lamothe said. “The community let us use the hall, and I had miles of fabric and just put word on Facebook and everyone rallied together and within 13 hours (spread over) two days at the hall it was a wrap.”

The dog beds, food and other supplies will go to help the 20 pups currently in the Kelowna shelter’s care, following a seizure of more than 45 dogs from a property near Williams Lake.

Sean Hogan, branch manager of the shelter, put out a call for donations and food last week to media.

His call was not only heard by locals, but by those in the community where the seizure took place.

“This is amazing, and again speaks to the big hearts and generous hearts that there are in the province that have really reached out to our branch and around us; to help these dogs and all animals we help at the BC SPCA.”

The dogs have made some behavioural improvements since coming into the shelter over one week ago. Hogan said some dogs are still having difficulties but there have been some ‘bright lights’ among the pooches.

“I always tell them to focus on the bright lights. We do see a lot of darkness in the world and that’s what this shows to people who are doing what they can with their hands and with their hearts because it brings light back into the world.”

Thanks to this generous donation from the Cariboo region and the donations from others in Kelowna, the BC SPCA is now only looking for gift card donations to grocery stores and for financial donations to help make these dogs happy and healthy.